Egypt & Nile River Cruises

Luxor, Thebes & the Valley of the Kings

Is the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes which was the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms. Divided in two by the Nile, it is home to some of Egypt's most stunning sights.

Visit the tombs of the Pharaohs or the purpose built Luxor museum which includes famous artefacts. Modern day Luxor is also home to some fantastic restaurants, bazaars and Souks.

Cross to the western bank of the Nile to visit Thebes and the Valley of the Kings where you could visit the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

Other sites not to be missed are the terrace temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, and the temples of Karnak and Luxor.

Karnak

The complex at Karnak is a vast open air museum and the largest ancient religious site in the world. It is a vast mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels and other buildings. It is believed to be the second most visited site in Egypt after the pyramids at Giza.

The longevity of the usage of the site is what makes it all the more remarkable as over 30 Pharaohs contributed to its construction. A trip to the site can be completed by a sound and light show after dark.

Edfu / Kom Ombo

Home to the very well preserved 2000+ year old temple of Horus, the Falcon headed God of the Sun and Plants.

The temple at Kom Ombo further down the river was built to honour the crocodile-headed god Sobek.

Agilika and the Aswan High Dam

The Island of Agilika is home to the Temple of Philae, devoted to Isis. This is reached by motor boat.

The Aswan High Dam was built between 1960 and 1970 to control the Nile flood waters in order to protect the population and crops of the fertile Nile delta. The dam created the reservoir, "Lake Nassar" named after the former Egyptian President who masterminded the project, with a surface area of over 2,000 square miles. The dam towers over 111m high and almost 1000m wide.

Weather

The coolest time of the year to visit Egypt is during Dec-March when average daily temperatures are below 30 degrees centigrade.

Extend Your Stay

The Nile cruise lends itself perfectly to an extended beach or hotel stay in either Luxor, Cairo or a Red Sea Resort or both, providing a 10-14 night holiday.

Destinations to stay on the Red Sea include Hurgarda, Makadi Bay and Sharm el Sheikh.

Nile cruises can also be extended to include visits by train and coach to Alexandria and Giza for the pyramids to allow you to discover all that Egypt has to offer.

Please call 0800 471 4754 for further information and assistance.